DIY PR: Top Tips for Getting Press Coverage Yourself

If you have the time, focus and commitment to handle PR yourself, it can be done. But it isn’t a quick win or a one-off task. Doing your own PR needs consistency, judgement and an understanding of how media actually works behind the scenes. There are broadly two routes into earned (i.e. you haven't paid for the opportunity) PR: proactively pitching stories to journalists, and responding to journalist requests when opportunities arise. Here we're focusing on the second, reactive PR, because it is where most businesses have the highest chance of success when handling PR in-house.

Before you start responding, it helps to be clear on what journalists are looking for, how these opportunities surface, and why timing and presentation matter just as much as the insight itself. The tips below outline the fundamentals you’ll need to get right if you’re managing reactive PR internally.

Know Whether You’re Pitching or Responding

Understand the difference between proactive PR and reactive PR- confusing the two lowers your odds immediately.

• Proactive PR is when you approach a journalist with an idea or story.

• Reactive PR is when you respond to a journalist request for comment, insight or examples.

Reactive opportunities already have demand. Your job is to fit the brief not to persuade or try and reshape it. If you don't meet what they're asking for, don't waste time on it.

Where to find journalist requests?

Opportunities, sadly, won’t fall into your inbox. Your best bet is social platforms and making good use of LinkedIn in particular. Follow editors and feature writers in your field, and make sure notifications for their updates are turned on. It’s always helpful to add a comment to an interesting piece they’ve already written, as a way of getting on their radar. Journalists regularly use hashtags on social media when searching for story contributors, so it’s worth keeping an eye on these too:

• #journorequest (Most popular on X/Twitter)

• #HARO (originally “Help A Reporter Out” — still widely used even outside the the new Cision platform)

• #PRRequest

• #ExpertRequest

• #RadioGuestList

Journalist requests are often highly specific and very time-sensitive. Aye Media clients will know that when you receive a WhatsApp from us prefixed with the siren emoji (🚨) you basically have to drop everything and respond if you want a good chance of being featured. It can be down to a matter of minutes and seconds so getting the right information back first is a huge advantage.

Lead With the Answer, Not the Introduction

Journalists are under extraordinary time pressure. Think A&E department on a Saturday night after a major incident- triaging constantly, moving fast, and focused only on what’s immediately usable. They are not reading pitches in full; they are scanning for material that fits and they can act on.

Don't open with how long your company has been trading or a corporate mission statement, you don't even need to set the scene. Lead with the actual quote, insight or example they can use and if it’s relevant, they’ll ask for more.

Keep It Short. Then Shorter.

A good rule of thumb: if your response can’t be read in under 20 seconds, it’s too long.

Journalists just don't have time to sift through rambling explanations to extract a usable line. Clear, concise contributions respect their workload and are far more likely to be selected. Short. Polite. On-brief.

Match the Style and Length of the Publication

Know the audience of the publication. A two-line quote for a national outlet is very different from a longer contribution for a trade title or specialist publication. Even if it looks likely to be a longer piece, lead with a concise summary and offer the fuller contribution only if it’s useful.

Here’s a real example. I saw a request from a journalist at a UK magazine, simply stating: “Wind turbine experts to comment for Homebuilding & Renovating magazine.” 

That was the entirety of the brief. Based on that, I replied with the following:

********************

Hello,

I wondered if one of my clients, Iain Munro, might be a good fit for your Homebuilding & Renovating feature.

Iain is Strategy Director at Ryse Energy, a global renewables company. He was closely involved in bringing the first small wind turbine certified under the UK’s MCS in over four years to market, so he's very familiar with what works in real-world, home applications.

He also sits on the board of the Alliance for Rural Electrification, and is great at explaining wind technology solutions in a clear way for non-technical audiences.

Happy to make an introduction if that would be useful.

Shelagh Milligan

********************

It worked because it was brief, relevant and informative. The response matched the publication, respected the journalist’s time and proposed a clear expert (with links so the journalist didn't have to go searching). I also responded super quickly, and the finished article was published here, quoting Iain and his more detailed response that I'd sent after the journalist responded in the positive.

Make It Easy to Use You

Think one step ahead and remove friction. At the end of your email, include:

• A link to your website

• A link to your LinkedIn profile (clearly named)

• An unbranded ready-to-use headshot (attached or linked)

  
  

You’re being proactive and saving the journalist time. They'll appreciate it.

For the Love of God, Don’t Use AI

One thing worth saying loudly: journalists immediately know when a response has been written by AI and there will already be about a dozen AI replies in their inbox that they've had to wade through. An AI generated response will be binned, you might even get yourself blacklisted. Journalists are looking for judgement, uniqueness and a real point of view, so write it yourself. It doesn’t need to be clever or perfect it just needs to sound like an actual person who knows what they’re talking about. If you need convincing, there’s a short cautionary (and slightly painful) example at the end of this article.

Respond Quickly But Thoughtfully

Speed matters, especially for reactive PR. But rushed responses that miss the brief don’t help anyone. If you can’t respond properly in time, it’s often better not to respond at all. Relevance beats speed every time.

Don’t Force Yourself Into Stories

Not every journalist request is right for you and that’s fine. Selective, relevant responses build credibility over time. Being useful matters more than being visible.

Keep a Log

DIY PR improves through pattern recognition, not volume so track:

• who you responded to

• what you offered

• what was used

Remember: You’re Helping Journalists Do Their Job

The best PR contributions feel less like pitches and more like assistance.

When journalists are busy- which they almost always are- the contributors who make their work easier are the ones they'll come back to.